Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,769 in Kristianstad versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,784 in Kristianstad versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,799 in Kristianstad versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Kristianstad is roughly 40% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kristianstad is 29% above, Playa del Carmen is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.42 SEK 142

$11.60 MX$200

24.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.5 SEK 764

$47.11 MX$812

64.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.65 SEK 125

$11.88 MX$205

6.48%

Cappuccino

$4.70 SEK 46.36

$3.98 MX$68.6

18.09%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SEK 26.83

$1.43 MX$24.60

90.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 SEK 22.55

$0.82 MX$14.22

179.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.34 SEK 72.4

$3.19 MX$55.0

130.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.27 SEK 71.6

$6.79 MX$117

7.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.21 SEK 21.80

$1.68 MX$28.89

31.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 SEK 25.79

$2.20 MX$37.88

19.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.17 SEK 41.06

$1.71 MX$29.45

143.86%

Eggs

$4.48 SEK 44.14

$2.74 MX$47.26

63.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 SEK 124

$9.58 MX$165

31.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.59 SEK 134

$9.01 MX$155

50.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 SEK 170

$12.81 MX$221

34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 SEK 30.42

$2.89 MX$49.81

6.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 SEK 26.45

$1.50 MX$25.81

78.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.47 SEK 34.18

$2.15 MX$37.03

61.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.33 SEK 42.67

$2.26 MX$38.96

91.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 SEK 16.02

$1.98 MX$34.15

-17.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SEK 14.22

$1.99 MX$34.30

-27.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.61 SEK 25.76

$1.23 MX$21.28

112.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SEK 14.70

$1.20 MX$20.63

24.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 SEK 82.1

$4.55 MX$78.5

83.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.93 SEK 108

$10.37 MX$179

5.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SEK 18.23

$1.62 MX$27.91

14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 SEK 21.74

$2.88 MX$49.67

-23.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.50 SEK 34.49

$0.60 MX$10.35

483.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 697

$28.80 MX$497

145.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.18 SEK 51.0

$5.39 MX$92.9

-3.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 SEK 15.88

$3.73 MX$64.3

-56.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$55.4 SEK 546

$5.77 MX$99.5

859.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 SEK 16.41

$1.54 MX$26.48

8.44%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K SEK 354.4K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

59.51%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.6K SEK 311.6K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

21.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$107 SEK 1,050

$91.4 MX$1,576

16.55%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$27.25 SEK 269

$25.20 MX$435

8.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.63 SEK 391

$31.24 MX$539

26.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 SEK 389

$67.2 MX$1,159

-41.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.30 SEK 279

$29.11 MX$502

-2.78%

Cinema Ticket

$17.63 SEK 174

$4.86 MX$83.8

262.76%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$181 SEK 1,788

$224 MX$3,856

-18.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,870 SEK 48.0K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

15.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 SEK 822

$47.10 MX$812

77.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 SEK 437

$44.29 MX$764

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 SEK 863

$80.1 MX$1,381

9.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 SEK 1,306

$92.7 MX$1,598

43.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$781 SEK 7,695

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-26.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$603 SEK 5,945

$390 MX$6,728

54.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 SEK 13.6K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-35.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,035 SEK 10.2K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-18.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,651 SEK 36.0K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-8.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 SEK 25.6K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-59.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,597 SEK 25.6K

$758 MX$13.1K

242.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.45

11.45

-69.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kristianstad: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $781 in Kristianstad and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kristianstad pays 243% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $78.0 in Kristianstad vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $379 vs $276 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Kristianstad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 243% higher in Kristianstad, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $781 in Kristianstad versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,769 per month in Kristianstad versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 145% less than in Kristianstad. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,769 in Kristianstad, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Kristianstad. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kristianstad, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kristianstad and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Kristianstad. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.